VisitScotland pledges £1m for local marketing initiatives

VisitScotland has launched a new growth fund to help tourism businesses attract more visitors.

A total of £1m of funding will be made available over the next three years to support up to 50% of marketing costs between £5,000 and £65,000 for destination organisations and industry groups.

Access to a VisitScotland adviser will also be granted to successful applicants.

Launched today, the initiative follows the success of the European Union-supported growth fund. The previous growth fund saw VisitScotland, along with the EU, hand out £1m to 47 local marketing groups, involving 2,120 businesses from across Scotland.

Malcolm Roughead, chief executive of VisitScotland, said: "In the current economic climate, the necessity to harness local enthusiasm, knowledge and commitment through partnership building has become of paramount importance - the growth fund allows us to get involved at the very earliest stages of this."

Tourism Minister Jim Mather added: "The growth fund will support businesses to find new, innovative and collaborative approaches to improve their tourism product or offering and in doing so, provide new, exciting reasons for visitors to come to Scotland and experience all we have to offer."

VisitScotland and SLTA in bid to attract tourists to pubs >>

Caterersearch.com 100: Peter Lederer >>

SECC marks 25th anniversary with awards for Compass and VisitScotland >>

By Janie Stamford

E-mail your comments to Janie Stamford here.

If you have something to say on this story or anything else join the debate at Table Talk - Caterer's new networking forum. Go to www.caterersearch.com/tabletalk

Caterersearch.com jobs

Looking for a new job? Find your next job here with Caterersearch.com jobs